Compromised Vitality
by Chain Mell
Summary: There's something wrong with Duo. Can the others figure out what it is before it's too late? Rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Before you get to the original A/N; this was to be posted long before **_**Danger Down Below; Shinigami's Cross; Crossing The Line; **_**and**_** I Get A Kick Out Of You. **_**I just forgot to bring it along with me that particular day. On this day; I will post another one-shot **_**A Very Shot Lemon. **_**I hope you'll enjoy this and the other one-shot.**

**This is just something I thought of while scanning through my biology book just for the hell of it. For some reason there is this certain part of the book that I love to go to. What can I say? I****'****m hooked on that kind of stuff. Anyway, this is NOT an OC. The last time I tried that no reviews were showing up. So I****'****ve decided to stick with the original characters. **

**Vitality Compromised**

Duo shivered under the thick quilts, burrowing deeper into their snug depths, hoping to find the warmth that seemed to elude him once again for the past few nights. He wasn't sure what was going on. He'd never gotten sick in his entire life; including the time the plague was having its demented fun with the people of L2 all those years ago. And he was sure he hadn't gotten it from any of his co-workers. Sally had forbid anyone who was sick to linger around the workplace and getting everyone else into the same predicament. How he'd manage to get into this, he was at complete loss. Had he gotten it from a recent mission? It may be possible, but he still highly doubted it. At this point in life he wouldn't expect his immune system to start slacking off so much.

_Beeeeeeeeeep……._

Reluctantly, amethyst orbs peeked over the soft thick wall to look at the glowing red numbers on the alarm clock on the night stand. It was 5:00 a.m. Yet another night of sleep was lost to him; now leaving him to begin his usual morning routine his body did on its own volition. It was like it had a mind of its own. Duo was dead tired, so he was a little relieved at the prospect. Showering, brushing his teeth, drying, brushing and braiding his hair, getting dressed and making coffee; all that done respectively in that order just like every other morning. By then Duo was awakened a little more; albeit only marginally. But it was enough to get him in his car and drive to work without getting himself into any sleep induced problems. He looked at the Preventer Headquarters building and sighed. Bring on the heat.

Of course the building had central air conditioning with the setting at a constant temperature of 65­­­­­­­oF; and anyone who dared to touch it would have to answer to she-devil herself. It's just that while everyone else was cold and snuggling into their jackets, he was trying to fend off the incessant heat that had begun to plague him a mere few days before. Anyway, Duo nodded and smiled a good morning to everyone he passed as he did every morning, relieved that his body temperature was back to the way it should be.

_Now if only we can continue this process…_

The braided ex pilot walked into the office he shared with his friends and two other Preventer employees and sat in his now amazingly comfortable stuffed chair at his desk. He took his time and got settled, closing his eyes and taking a deep whiff of his third cup of coffee for the morning since he got up. He stopped, feeling eyes boring into him during his, private, 'moment'. Looking over the porcelain barrier between him and the rest of the office, intense lapis lazuli clashed with curious aubergine. After only a mere few seconds of holding the gaze, Duo squirmed under Heero's pointed glare.

"What do you want from me?" he finally asked, moving the cup away from his lips. Heero kept his glare firmly in place, his eyes seeming to do some sort of calculation as they trailed over Duo's face. It was rather disconcerting having Heero study you like that. Any other time, Duo would've relished the attention. But this one was different from the list of glares he'd come up with. It was a sign. Either he was going to kill you; or use you as a human punching bag. Or anything pain related; both emotionally and physically. And neither had eased his trepidation at all.

At that moment, Quatre walked in with a shit load of papers. He smiled in greeting to the braided man before doing a double take. A look of concern flashed across the adorable Arab's face. Immediately he went over to his own desk, set the papers down and walked back over to Duo. He leaned over the desk, palms firmly planted on the metal surface as sapphire orbs traveled over Duo's features.

This made Duo extra nervous. It was enough that Heero was staring him down for some reason; but having a worried Quatre examining you was _not _a good sign. If he could, he would've just backed away, grabbed his coat, and left. But he couldn't. The wall was directly behind him, all of the others were watching, and looked just about ready to stop him if he tried to make a move. Torn between freaked out and irritated by the penetrating glares, he put down his coffee and sighed.

"What?" he inquired. "Is there something on my face? In my hair? Or am I that gorgeous that you have to neglect your work to walk over and admire me?" he added as an afterthought to lighten the mood a little. He heard Wufei snort from the other side of the office. To his surprise, Quatre's expression hadn't changed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Duo blinked, not really sure how to answer that question; so he countered with another one.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are you sure?" Quatre asked.

Damn, he didn't take the bait….

"You've been acting weird lately," said Trowa from the safe confines of his corner on the far side of the office.

"Is it even possible for him to act any weirder than he is?" Wufei snorted.

Quatre shot the Chinese a withering look. "This is serious Wufei. This isn't the time to exercise your newfound sense of humor."

Duo blinked and looked over at the equally astonished Asian.

_So cold… _

Soon he was face to face with a once again concerned looking Quatre. How he changes his demeanor so quickly, he will never know. Quatre studied him again, this time a little longer than he would've liked. It felt like the other was trying to burn holes in his face; which was actually working…. Wait. Crap his temperature was acting up again. Why now, of all times; while the others were fixated on him? Which, by the way, made his skin crawl; and not in a good way.

_Would you stop that?! _He thought, beginning to get annoyed by the scrutiny. _It__'__s uncomfortable…_

Judging by the stunned looks on the others' faces, he'd said that first bit out loud. Well, what's done is done. You see, Duo rarely snapped. When he did, you knew to listen. Quatre stared at him with slightly wide eyes before regaining his composure.

"I just want to make sure you're alright Duo." said Quatre, standing up straight, obviously, not taking the sudden outburst into consideration. Duo really needed to get out of this. If he couldn't get himself out, then someone had better save his ass for him.

As If his mental plea was acknowledged, Une appeared on his vid screen.

"Agent Maxwell. My office, immediately." The line dropped. If he wasn't so drawn back by her tone of voice, he would've ran to her office and given her a wet kiss. He shoved the relieved grin threatening to take over his face back down and looked up at Quatre.

"Sorry. I'd love to stay and chat, but you heard the lady," He said, rising and grabbing his jacket. He shot them all a small smile and walked out. As soon as the door closed behind him, he practically raced down the hall and to the elevator to get to Une's office.

_Yes! Victory is mine! _Duo thought triumphantly. _At least for now._

…………………………_**.**_

Heero watched as Duo had walked in earlier and he noticed a few things. One, there was no bounce in the braided man's step as usual. Two, the circles under his eyes seemed to get darker and thicker by the day. Three, he seems to be the opposite of what everyone else is feeling in the building. If they're cold, he's hot. If they're hot, he's freezing. Something was up and Heero was going to find out what.

When Duo had left, Heero looked to Quatre with a quizzical expression. Quatre sighed, defeated as he turned around to the others and sat on Duo's desk. He looked up to meet the Japanese's gaze. Glancing to the others around the room, he saw that they were all demanding an answer. He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling a bit of sweat on his brow. Now, he wasn't one to get nervous about being stared down like that. Only when Trowa does it in that oh-so-sexy-way, then it would've been a problem. So why was he beginning to sweat? He glanced at the digital thermostat. It was normal, forever untouched as instructed. Could it have been someone else he was feeling? Maybe. Come to think of it, just before Duo had snapped, he'd felt the temperature rise considerably and unnervingly quickly. Was he…? No way, Duo never got sick… right?

Trowa must've read his expression and spoke up, voicing his concerns. "Maybe Maxwell's sick or something?"

Wufei snorted again, totally disregarding Quatre's earlier verbal bitch slap. "Wishful thinking, my friend. If Maxwell ever got sick it would be a blessing in disguise. Silence for a few days. And you _know _that's practically impossible. Any other assumptions?"

Heero'd had his suspicions, but wasn't going to bring them out into the open without confirmation. Until then, he was going to keep an eye on his best friend before anything bad happens to him.

………………………………**...**

**TBC? YOU DECIDE.**

**A/N: Well, there you go. I****'****m not sure if I should continue. This was written in a sort of spur of the moment thing, just like I said earlier. I only wrote it because I was tired of not getting anything else on the other fic. Depending on how much support I get, I****'****ll continue. Other than that I****'****ll stick to random poem fics and single chapter songfics.**

'**Till next time! Lights out, kids.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, I'd intended to soak up as many reviews as possible before posting the second chapter that hopefully, will meet your anticipation. I'm really grateful for all the support. Now.. Onto the fic.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Duo walked out of the office and now stood inside the elevator, leaning against the wall. Glancing at his watch, he realized that his lunch break was in about two minutes. Meaning, he could escape his stalkers for an hour without having to go back to the office for his jacket and wallet. Shinigami must've been on his side today. Maybe he'd go to the deli and then head by Hilde's apartment to crash for a while to celebrate. With that thought in mind, he was rejuvenated and ready to continue his day.

The meeting with Une wasn't really all that important. Well; not as much as the others. All she wanted was a thorough rundown of the missions he'd had this year thus far in a summarized state. For some odd reason, he's one of the few who gets treated like this. All because of his photographic memory and thinking on his feet. Can't help what nature throws at you. Walking through the revolving doors, Duo makes his way toward the parking lot and his motorcycle he always rode to work on a whim if he didn't feel like bringing his car.

Settling himself on the leather padded seat; he put his braid down his jacket and uprooted the kick stand. He didn't need his helmet at the moment. The incessant heat assaulting his body was enough on its own. He didn't need to smother himself anymore with a helmet. Taking his helmet and letting it drape down his back; he revved the engine and was on his way out of Preventer Headquarters' grounds and into the lively city streets.

Bringing his bike today was one of the wisest decisions he'd made today. The cool breeze slapping his face felt awesome against his flushed and heated skin. If he could drive in his sleep he would, how good this felt. These hot flashes were _not_ good for his health. _Christ!_ What was he? A woman?? And as far as he was concerned only _they_ had hot flashes. Mentally shaking his head of those thoughts, he recognized the familiar restaurant he always went to for lunch.

_Ahh… Nothing like a meal from _Luigi's_ to tame my belly._

The air conditioning was a plus for his heated condition and so was the ice cold water he'd order to follow his ice cream sundae and veggie burger. He knew it wasn't a healthy combination but it really helps his condition. And hopefully he cools down enough before he goes to work and gets badgered for answers by his 'stalkers' (Quatre). He knew the blonde meant well and really wants to help people; but the Arabian could be so damn _invasive!_ Sure, Duo could understand being concerned and a little curious but Quatre always decides to poke and prod at the worst of times.

As for Heero, well, the guy was just plain creepy. Lovely looking but still creepy as all hell. If looks could do whatever they wanted, he was sure that his coffee mug would've shattered under the Japanese's intense scrutiny. Seriously. The guy can pick the weirdest of times to do a random visual physical on people. And then no matter how much you try to get away from it; even if you hide behind a wall; the glare just burns right through and continues its evaluation. Doesn't that qualify as creepy? Sometimes he wondered why he even liked the guy.

Now as for Wufei…Well, at least he didn't have to worry about the Chinese for now. His new and developing sense of humor would keep him quite occupied. But Trowa; you could never tell with the guy. All you'd ever get for a hint is one green eye looking at you blankly, barely escaping the dark confines of that wild bang of his. Who'd inspired him to _do_ something like that anyway?

(Anyway…) Duo sat at his favorite booth and waited for Sasha to come to him. He felt cooler now; almost regular temperature.

_Now if only we can continue this process for longer than ten minutes…we'll be happy._

After the braided ex-pilot ordered, he retreated into his memory. How could all of this happen? (Same question as always…) One day he's fine and dandy, and the next he's either burning holes through his clothes or putting them on ice. It was weirdly familiar. Not to his body, but to memory. He just couldn't put his finger on who it was. Photographic memory be damned if it can't help him this time. As far as he knew, he'd never been sick in all his years in the land of the living. He'd never questioned it, lest he lose that one blessing.

Could it be anyone from work? Nope. Already established and ruled out.

Mission?

Possible; but not probable. But there was a slim to none chance for it.

You know what? He'd just put that off to the side. His food beckons him.

………………………

Quatre and the others worked in total silence, all mulling over Duo's apparent yet unknown condition. Quatre even stopped filing just to fold his arms and pace for a few minutes as he thought. In all honesty it was really, _really_ hard to recall any incident where the American had fallen ill. The only abnormality was his rare mood swings and regular bouts of food craving. Other than that, Duo catching a cold seemed hilarious at the moment. With a sigh, he went back to the task at hand.

Wufei stared blankly at the screen before him. Sure, he'd voiced his doubts out loud, earning him a glare from the normally sweet tempered blond (which was unexpected, by the way) and a secret smack upside his head from Heero. He had absolutely no idea how Heero managed to deal him such a hard hit so silently. It was unnerving.

(Anyway…) As much as he showed a fair amount of annoyance with the joker, he actually considered him his best friend. The thought of him being sick was unheard of, like he said. Unless there was some sort of chemical imbalance in his body; which probably the large amounts of junk food the idiot consumes a day can cause; or it can be from one of the secretly sick at HQ….. Nope. Not likely. It's like Une has this internal radar that practically seeks and eliminates all Nyquil junkies in a matter of minutes. He remembered that one time he had a cold. After that _one _sneeze; Une buzzed him. _'Chang; go home. You're contaminating the air in which we need to live.'_

If Une didn't pick anything up on Duo, then he guessed the American was fine; just lacking sleep or something.

Trowa basically thought of the same things; but decided not to pry. He knew Duo's stubborn nature. If he wasn't feeling too good he'd say so. And that was the end of that.

Heero, on the other hand, had a different agenda. He sat back in his chair and rested his elbow on the armrest, thumb and forefinger shielding his lips in thought as the other hand draped over the back of the chair. He'd picked it up from Duo. No one at the office did it besides Duo, and after a while it seemed to rub off on them. They'd assume that position unconsciously until they realize what's happening and fix themselves. The American claimed that it helped with thinking. And the creepy thing about it was…it actually worked.

(Anyway…) Heero thought back to when this first started. Duo had walked into the office with no jacket, a rare occurrence. But he had it in his hand just in case. The guy wears a jacket in the middle of summer and stays cool as ever. And in a sixty-five degree room; he decided to drink ice cold water. No one hardly goes to the water cooler unless it's to take a pill or make coffee with the heater. Duo didn't go for coffee. And he hardly drinks water. Only as a last resort he'd do that. That was day one. The Japanese let that day slide, passing it of as one of Duo's weird whimsical craves that come out of nowhere.

Day number two was very interesting. They ended up with a cold front and Preventer HQ was on ice. Even Heero had to huddle into the safe confines of his jacket. And in looking over at an again jacket free Duo, he saw that the other was slightly flushed and his eyes were a little glazed over.

Day three was just plain weird. It was hot at HQ. The air conditioning was busted and the place was searing. Big hot day with overhead light and bright sunshine, the guy comes in with this huge-assed jacket reserved only for the Preventer winter session. And he's _huddling into it._ Heero had a mind to just outright say _'Are you freaking out or something? Big damn sunlight and hot ass temperature and NOW you decide to huddle down in you jacket?! What are you? Cold blooded??'_ But he kept it as a thought. Now _Wufei_ had voiced the entire thing. Somehow Heero thinks the Chinese has the ability to get into other people's heads. And if he does, he needed to throttle him later. It could've proven useful in the wars.

(Anyway….again) Heero noticed that the other was paler than his usual complexion; something he was not used to seeing. It made Duo look ghostly; almost as if he were a dead man walking. Day four was just…normal, actually. He carried on like usual, brought his jacket, made his coffee and chatted quite amiably. Even looked like he'd slept a little. Day five went by sluggishly since the braided man had constantly stopped typing to either sigh and massage his temples, or lock his jaw and massage his temples (what have we here? Headaches?).

Now today, day six, was going on pretty much like the fourth day on replay; only the shadows had gotten noticeably darker (to Heero) and the joker seemed to be a little more subdued than usual. The bounce and spontaneity were almost nonexistent in the twenty two year old at this point in time; and the office was unusually quiet, too. Heero decided that if tomorrow didn't generate any form of improvement, then the other was going to Sally and then back to his apartment.

Heero mentally nodded in agreement with his subconscious.

_Mission acknowledged and accepted._

………………………………**.................**

Duo couldn't wait to get out of HQ and home in his apartment. His bed had never been the most attractive thing he'd ever saw; up until now. God, he was exhausted. His temperature's mood swings; lack of sleep; constant stalkers trailing him (Quatre) and to top it off, it even looked like Heero was planning something. It took really long for the clock to strike six, but when it did, he was practically out of there by 6:03.

As soon as he got to the door of his apartment, he felt extremely tired. Like he hadn't slept in days. Well, he hadn't but it seemed to catch up to him. What he needed now was a bed and a pillow and he was good to go. Opening the door, he tossed his keys on the side table and made a beeline for his bedroom. He had begun to undress from the door, losing his tie first, then his belt. By the time he got to the hall, he was shirtless and donning only his dark blue silk boxers with his shed clothes in his hand. When he sighted his bed, however, the clothes lay in a forgotten heap in a corner and he flopped onto the incredibly comfortable mattress and pillow. In no time at all, he'd succumbed to the beckoning darkness. Sleep claimed him instantly.

………………………………**..**

**A/N: Yes, well. Not what you'd expect for a chapter two, right? But it's something. I was actually in the process of thinking of another chapter for **_**Shinigami's Cross**_** while I was typing this. And as far as my imagination is concerned, I've managed to think up to chapter four for this fic. And no, no plot involved; well no a fully structured one. But I'm getting there. I hoped it satisfied your !sick Duo craving a little. Next time I'll have a good one coming up. Who knows? I may just post another chapter the same day.**

**Thank you all so much for the support on this fic. Now my cousin can put her foot in her mouth. TAKE THAT NIKKI!!! She thinks my stories are lame and that those who read it have absolutely nothing to do with their time. *sigh* The poor soul only reads yaoi as a last resort. Once I'd thought she'd become a fellow junkie; but I was proven wrong. Well, it was fun while it lasted.**

**(Anyway…) 'Till next time! Lights out kids! (I have absolutely no idea why I say that. Half of you are probably twice my age and beyond. No offense to those who take it as an old person joke ^_^).**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: YES!!! CHAPTER THREE! Pretty cool, huh? But still, I****'****m neglecting **_**Shinigami**__**'**__**s Cross….**_** Yah well. The one bringing in the most reviews must be looked after the most. Favoritism is dubbed justified in this situation *nods head in firm belief*.**

**Anyway, just as a heads up, in this chapter, Heero may or may not get the chance to confront Duo about his problem. Yes, the fic is finally progressing.**

**ENJOY!!! At least before I blab the whole chapter before you get a chance to be surprised.**

**CHAPTER THREE**

The office was back on its feet, now that Duo had somehow found his sense of joviality (which claimed to be hiding under the bed… I don't know why either, so just go along with it.) and seemed to be almost one hundred percent. This came as a shock to all the other pilots. Mostly to Quatre and Heero. Quatre just took one look at Duo and at the cup of coffee he had in his hand and back at Duo before pushing it far out of his reach. He was now convinced that someone spiked the coffee and impersonated Duo.

Trowa merely looked at Duo and shrugged.

Heero, on the smooth side, just blinked, took a lap around the floor the office was on, and back to the office to peer into Duo's face. Duo merely looked at him with furrowed eyebrows and backed away slowly as if any sudden movement would trigger him being held at gunpoint.

Wufei wasn't there, but out on a mission that had taken him abroad. But if he were there, Trowa was pretty sure that the Chinese would probably do the same as Quatre.

Duo hadn't noticed the others' reactions as he was staring point blank into Prussian orbs that seemed to look into his very soul; and not via the initial portals known to us humans as the eyes as he would've liked. Heero just studied his face quite intently, even going as far as turning the other's head this way and that (**no dirty thoughts people**) to see if he'd had some kind of head injury anywhere there. Seemingly satisfied, the Japanese merely walked to his desk without a word, immediately assuming Duo's thinking position.

The braided pilot blinked, the famous deer in headlights paling in comparison to his countenance.

Freaky…….

Other than that, day seven carried on without a hitch, much to Duo's relief.

………………………………**..........**

Three days later, however, it just came back to bite him in the ass. He swore he had nothing to drink other than his usual morning coffee and a soda. And as far as he was concerned, caffeine does _not_ give people hangovers. _Damn_ his head _hurt_ like a _bitch!_

Duo groaned and rolled over to slam the snooze button, careful not to move his head too much. This took about five full minutes with the afflicted man stopping to wait for the searing pain to ease a little and permit further movement. This current headache was far worse than the one he'd had a few days ago; and lasted much longer. He hadn't slept for nearly seven of the twenty four hours in that one day. And what a time to appear to make his life much harder than it already was.

All yesterday he'd been thinking '_Tomorrow will go without problems just like today!__'_, and now he had to put his foot in his mouth. Today was definitely _not_ one of his better days. He'd never thought he'd see the day he'd even consider calling in sick. And he really didn't want to either; well he did but then it would cause problems. He was trying to keep whatever this was a secret until he figure out what it was for himself. He was going to do just that this morning when he figured all was going to be fine and dandy.

But no…

Life just _had_ to decide to be a bitch today.

Either way it was still early. Maybe if he half killed himself in order to get to the bathroom, the shower and take some aspirin, he'd be able to make it to work in no time.

With that in mind, he was re-inspired and reluctantly ready to start his painful day.

But before he could think to roll heavily out of his ridiculously comfortable bed, a huge wave of nausea swept over him. Too weak to fight it down, he flew into the bathroom, the toilet seat conveniently left up in all its glory to accept yesterday's and last night's meals.

Yup. Life decided to be a _real_ bitch this morning.

………………………………**...**

However, he _did_ manage to make it to the office before everyone else and, other than searching what he needed to know or doing some work, he promptly folded his arms on his desk and rested his head on them. This was done for three reasons. One: it kept the bright light out of his eyes and from irritating his headache even more; two: it kept his head still to prevent hurting his head more; and three: it kept the room from spinning in that sickeningly swirly motion to both upset his stomach and aggravate his headache.

And as you can see, all this was basically to ease the steady drumming of the heavy blood flow in his head. He just hoped Byrd and Hughes don't burst in there with one loud laugh and non-stop talking. Oh now _that_ would be a bitch.

Which it was.

They did exactly as he mentally forbid them to do. He swallowed the groan that threatened to escape his throat. When Hughes let loose that burst of laughter, his headache kicked into overkill. Before then it was just crippling; now it was a basic death sentence going for a one hit KO.

This really wasn't his day at all. Duo had tried blocking them out, but only the thought of concentrating to do just that made his head worse. He wished he'd called in sick and risk being badgered by the others than go through all this torture.

But no…

His pride just couldn't take a beating.

Nope.

Too damn stubborn.

He almost wanted to throttle whichever of his parents who passed that gene on to him _after_ killing them for abandoning him. Thankfully they'd simmered down and resorted to MSN messenger to appease their need to talk. Although in reality it had been a half hour, it felt as if only ten seconds had passed before the door opened and closed with a resounding click and a faint _BAM_ ( which sounded like a slam to Duo at the moment), that nearly brought Duo to tears.

Everything was still now; and Duo was more than happy. He couldn't tell who had entered but guessed it must have been Trowa. He hardly speaks and only mumbles a good morning and nods once to accompany it. The door opened twice after that, the second time it had been followed by a loud Quatre-like 'MOOORNING!!!!'

Duo sobbed silently.

_Nnno! (Intentionally spelt like that to sort of initiate some sort of Arabian accent. I hope it worked)_

Suddenly got quiet, minus the soft --

**(Duo: What soft?! That shit was loud man!**

**Me: Well sorry!)**

Suddenly it got quiet, minus the (ahem) _loud_ clicking of the keyboards around the office. It was appeasing as well as creepy. He had a feeling he was being watched. And no doubt those two cornflower blue orbs were beating down on his head. Why the hell couldn't Quatre be off today? Life really wasn't on his side today.

Ever felt like telling the world to kiss your ass and take a motherfucking _hike?_

Yea well, that's just how he felt when Quatre had walked up to him and came dead close to his ear and said:

"Are you okay, Duo?"

Now usually he wouldn't even think of blowing up at the overly concerned blond, but the combination of the searing headache, queasiness and the blond's stalking habit had the words itching to just come rolling off his tongue. He just was _not_ in the _mood!_

GAH!!

Tuh! Add mood swings to your list of bodily catastrophes..

Duo mentally bawled, kicked and screamed, letting all his frustrations out and clearing his head before opening his mouth. It took about five minutes, and in that time, for some odd, _demented_ but _who-the-hell-cares _reason, his headache eased into nothing.

The American kept his head down and answered the blond.

"Thinking, just thinking."

Which was the truth. It's not everyday a killer headache comes, stays with you for hours on end and just disappears in under five minutes. Things like that _really_ deserve some thinking on.

And he was going to do just that.

_After_ looking up those symptoms.

Quatre looked at him with a puzzled expression and turned around to leave the American alone for the time being.

………………………………**...**

**A/N: *takes deep breath* HAAAAAAA!!!!!!**

_He was trying to keep whatever this was a secret until he figure out what it was for himself. He was going to do just that this morning when he figured all was going to be fine and dandy. _

_But no…_

_Life just __**had**__ to decide to be a bitch today._

**HAHAHA….poor soul... **

**(Anyway…) There****'****s chapter three. I am so sorry for sort of lying to you, but I just couldn****'****t help the urge called cliffy. It beckoned me into its clutches; and just like any other stupid ass….I went to it.**

**Oh well. At least the story****'****s taking some sort of step forward. I****'****m sorry for keeping you all waiting. This was supposed to be up last Friday and I got stuck coloring a pic of Duo I drew. You just can****'****t deny the Duo. Even if you claim that it****'****s impossible; it****'****s true. You may kick and scream all you want but… it****'****s gonna happen. The Duo **_**will**_** prevail!!**

**(AHEM) Anyway, I****'****m grateful for all the support. Twenty one reviews is just enough to taunt my cousin with :D**

**I promise chapter four may be up this coming Friday if my math teacher doesn****'****t screw around with my life again. The bastard…**

**(ANYWAY AGAIN!) I****'****d initially wanted to post every Friday so that on Monday mornings I can come and stalk my stuff while looking for updates on stories that are really hypnotic. And that 1x2x3x5 fic is almost making itself known. After at least chapter three of **_**Shinigami**__**'**__**s Cross,**_** I****'****ll have it up. But don****'****t hold your breath just yet. I****'****ve yet to put **_**Adoption**_** back online with a few modifications. I can write it just about right after typing this note here; but I****'****m feeling lazy. If no more ideas come up for **_**Crossing The Line **_**and**_** Shinigami**__**'**__**s Cross**_** then you****'****ll either have chapter three for **_**A Poison Tree**_**, and MAYBE**_** The Other Pilot.**_** I want to finish that OC before the end of the year so I get my frustrations out. And maybe take down **_**Operation Gone Bad.**_** I mean it really sucks. I would****'****ve put in a prelude that told some twisted version of Duo****'****s past and his life with his gang on L2 as a prelude to **_**The Other Pilot**_**; but since neither is bringing in any feedback, I****'****ll take ****'****em both down and tie ****'****em together as one long-assed fic that hopefully would gather some OC junkies. I****'****ll even try my luck on other sites. Although the fic may be utterly senseless in some areas…..**

**Oh, God, I****'****m rambling. You know what? Let me let you people go so you can read other fics. I wouldn****'****t like it if readers were stuck reading someone else****'****s ridiculously long author****'****s notes when you could be reading and reviewing my fic. In the next chapter I****'****ll continue this lovely one-sided ramble ^_^**

'**Till next time! Much luv. **

**-KENNY**

**(Notice there is no ****'****Lights out kids!****'**** I have definitely improved my closings! ANYWAY! Ciao for now!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait. Lately I've been either pissed off, being pissed off, pissing someone else off, or enjoying the act of someone pissing someone else off. I couldn't help it. I was in a pissy mood.**

**Anyway, this is where things get serious…I think. Duo and Heero have been assigned a mission. How will Duo get through this one? Will he be able to keep it a secret from Heero? Or will life just screw him over like my math teacher did me? Find it all right here in this one overdue chappie.**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

After Quatre left, and he was sure the others would lay off for a while, Duo got up and fetched another cup of coffee. Wufei looked at him funny. Well, he had a reason to. It was nearly three in the afternoon. Who drinks coffee that late? Apparently one Duo Maxwell.

Upon his return, he found himself looking point blank into a wad of white. Was he dead already? Wow, and not even the typical blackness creeping into his vision… What a way to go.

Wait.

Wasn't he supposed to run _away_ from the white light? Oh well. Maybe next time.

The huge white mass left his vision to be replaced by deep pools of blue. Although he'd probably get a solid smack across his head, he had to ask. Just to be stupid.

Squinting, he lowered his cup of coffee. "…God?"

And of course, he received a groan and a smack upside his head from a very irritated Heero. Duo gave him a look that pretty much portrayed the classical and innocent, "what?'. That, by the way, earned him a glare. Shrugging it off, he sat in his comfortable seat, taking a satisfying sip of Foldger's.. And for that brief moment, he heard the theme song buzz through his mind.

Without waiting for some sort of cue, Heero dropped the papers onto Duo's desk on top of the keyboard.

"Hello, what's this?" Duo asked no one in particular as he took another sip and brought the papers closer.

"Information on the case we're to investigate. We leave tomorrow afternoon."

When Heero's words finally sunk in, he nearly choked. Him and Heero. On a mission. Together. No one else but the two of them. All alone….

_Pervert_, his mind snarled at him.

What? If Heero was hot, he was hot. There was nothing he could do but get all he could out of the situation while he had the chance. Life was short. Take what you can and beat.

When Heero spoke again, he was already by his desk and finishing off some paperwork.

"Please be on time, Maxwell."

Duo just shrugged and went net surfing for them symptoms before something drastic happened again like last time.

………………**.**

Duo sat back in utter disbelief. How could this be happening? What do you mean _'UNKNOWN DISEASE?' _And all they could tell him that a mixture of said symptoms can most likely kill the victim if manifested and not checked within three days of onset.

Well, wasn't that a pleasant thought? He closed the window and sat there looking at a picture of a vampire sucking the life out of some poor cow on the screen as he thought.

…_will most likely kill the victim if manifested and not checked within three days of initial onset. _

Basically, he was a dead man walking. But for how long? As far as he was concerned he could keel over in the next five seconds. How could he possibly plan so many things within five seconds without hurting himself?

_Go see Sally…_ His subconscious supplied.

_Is you crazy?!_ He yelled at it. If he went to Sally, he couldn't go on the trip with Heero. If he went to Sally, she'd tell everyone else. If he went to Sally, he'd end up being mothered for the rest of his short life by an over emotional Quatre. What a miserable last days that would be.

Great. Just great….

Well there's nothing he could do at the moment. May as well enjoy whatever time he may have left. Maybe even make Wufei's life extra miserable while he was at it. Oh no, he ain't gonna die miserable on his own. Someone else has got to be miserable with him.

Somehow, he couldn't keep an insane grin from taking form on his face. He felt like he was in the movie _Last Holiday_, but the only draw back, he didn't how much time he had left to do the things he never did. Including Heero…or maybe the other way around…

Duo snorted. He doesn't have that much time to convince Heero to do something like that. As far as he was concerned he was probably asexual. The dude's so strong he's probably skeetie**1**. Now how would that work out?

……………………………**..**

And good thing he did his research the day before.

Duo moved sluggishly around the kitchen, trying to get out of the apartment at a reasonable time to meet Heero at HQ. Usually he'd have been halfway there by then, but today he just wasn't feeling it. He couldn't understand why, after nearly eleven hours of dreamless sleep, he felt like he'd been up for weeks on end. Even coffee couldn't help him. Dammit. Where's a six pack of Red Bull when you need it?

Vaguely resembling a human being, a half miserable Duo Maxwell walked out the door and headed for his car.

When he arrived at headquarters, he'd expected some emergency energy supply to kick in. No such luck. He couldn't even so much as summon a smile to his tired features. All he wanted was a bed and a pillow. No sheets necessary. Or just some cushioned surface where he could skip off to la-la land. Who knows? Maybe Heero would appreciate the silence.

Wow. He actually beat Heero here. Note to self: Make special note on calendar. Heero Yuy was late.

Let's wait until you all die of complete shock.

Done? Alright then, Shall we?

In the office, Duo remembered that he'd supposed to finish one last report. Should only take about five minutes…

With that thought in mind, he meandered down the hall and went into the office.

…………**..**

Heero walked through the main entrance of the building. Instead of meeting the usual cheery faces of the receptionist, he saw her and someone else speaking in hushed tones. Only one word caught his attention as he walked past.

It was Duo's name.

Thinking that they were merely freaking over said Preventer's good looks as usual, he dismissed it and headed right for the office to get some extra stuff while waiting for Duo to show up. Lord knows the baka couldn't get anywhere early without being half dressed and donning a few speeding tickets.

But he was about to put his foot in his mouth. Which he almost had to do when he see one fully dressed, ticket free Duo Maxwell sitting at his own desk doing what looked like paper work. Heero blinked. Was he dreaming? Or was that really Duo?

The braided officer felt his eyes on him and answered his subconscious question.

"Yes, It's me. And no, you're not dreaming."

Well he had to be. Because the Duo he knew would've had a grin plastered to his face while he spoke to him. Well this was new. Very new indeed. Duo looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well? Are you going to stand there or are you gonna do what you have to so we could move on out?"

They were the only two ex pilots there, so Wufei couldn't make a remark (sadly). Heero frowned but said nothing as he went and did what he had intended.

Duo was acting weird today. More so than usual.

…………………**.**

It had taken them almost no time at all to get to the airport with their stuff when agent Byrd drove them. He lived for road rages. You know on those Tetris games that have those moving cars that you have to dodge? Lord help you if that's how the cars were on the road.

Once on the plane and in the air, Duo threw the chair back and was out before you had a chance to look to see what he was up to. He didn't even bother to shove his earphones in like he usually does. Heero wondered if he even remembered to bring them. Then when he finally snaps out of his melancholy mood he flies off the handle at Heero, claiming that the Japanese hadn't reminded him to bring it along.

He was his partner. Not his mother. Not his lover. Although there was that one wish…

But he was just some poor unsuspecting ex terrorist who happened to get shot by the one person who somehow ended up being his best friend. How sad.

How very sad indeed.

Heero returned his attention to the unnaturally still and slumbering American. He frowned. He looked a little on the pale side. But then again, any light that hit the guy made him look paler than he already was naturally. Still…

Duo stirred and shifted, but had not awakened. He just remained in the same dead-to-the-world state. It would've been helplessly cute, the way his bangs fell over one side of his face; and how like sometimes when he dozes, he eyes remain partially open and that oh-so-sexy way-- if not for his totally off mood.

Heero backtracked his thoughts. Had he just think what he thought he thought?

Dammit. Just when he thought he'd been over that problem. Looks like it's back for revenge…

………**.**

Duo laid the passenger seat back with a sigh and made himself comfortable. God, he was exhausted. Turns out that the internet can be serious when it chose to be. If it was killing him, this disease was sure taking all the kicks it can out of this. The headache he'd gotten on the plane had gotten worse. So much so that when combined with his weakened state, he didn't even have the heart to strike u a typical one-sided conversation. He'd probably feel better with some aspirin and some sleep.

He felt Heero's eyes on him and mentally groaned. He really didn't feel like being interrogated. Opening his left eye just a fraction, he caught the other trying to avert his gaze. He couldn't tell if it was the fatigue and pain making him hallucinate, but was that _concern?_

Waving it off, he closed his eyes and winced when the car hit a pot hole. The headache seemed to take a bite out of his head, and continued gnawing on it. And it took a larger bit with every hole. By the fifth, he was swallowing groans and biting back whimpers; even fighting his own facial expressions. Soon, though, Shinigami had mercy on him, letting him slip into unconsciousness.

Heero watched the road without actually seeing it. Duo was completely off today. He was uncharacteristically quiet, and just slept for most of the trip. When he wasn't asleep, he was zoning out. Even the spontaneity was almost gone. You'd think nothing scared the Perfect Soldier. Well go kick yourself.

Heero was petrified.

He was torn between soldier Heero and human Heero. His soldier instincts was telling him to drag it out of the American and settle the matter so that it wouldn't interfere with their mission. His human side however, insisted that he should leave it alone until the other was ready to open up and not to pry into his personal life.

And that was just his intuition.

Sure, he'd fallen hard for the loud-mouthed idiot. Hell, he'd lost his heart to him the damn day he'd got shot. And to be honest, he thought that cupid had rigged those bullets somehow. If he did…he needed to thank him one day.

The Japanese dragged himself away from his thoughts to look sideways at his partner. Duo seemed to be asleep, though not blissfully so. He was about to study him a little more when the American cracked an eye open. Heero averted his gaze, then looked back when the other was truly asleep.

He caught Duo's furrowed brows and tense form then watched when they eased as he slowly let dreamland steal him away from reality. Now seemingly sated, Heero cast a quick glance at the empty road before returning his gaze to Duo.

If he looked closely, he noticed, he could see the crinkles at the corners of his eyes were fading. He'd stopped smiling altogether for the past two weeks it seems. But that was trivial compared to how near colorless his face was. Damn natural coloring to hell. He looked as if he was going to pitch up any second now, open the door and barf in the wind; then watch it fly into the windshield of another car that unfortunately caught up to them (heh…).

The same question buzzed by through his mind.

If Duo was sick, why did he come to work, let alone agree to the mission?

_Maybe 'cause he likes you back._ His subconscious reasoned.

Yeah. Right.

He remembered clearly what Duo had said to him one time during the war. They were both in the safe house waiting on orders from Doctor J. Heero was on his laptop as usual while Duo was lying on the couch to his left. They'd been in comfortable silence when Duo spoke up.

"_Ne, Hee-chan. Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?"_

_When silence ensued (minus the keyboard) for a second, Duo answered it himself with a broad grin._

"_Because he didn't have the guts!"_

_Heero could almost hear the grin disappear._

"_Sheesh, Heero. At least _act_ like it's funny." He rolled off the couch and headed to the kitchen. "I swear. If I ended up in a relationship with you, I don't think I'd survive."_

He'd remembered how crushed he'd felt when Duo left the room. Since then he'd managed to befriend the American, but never really hoped to win his heart. Duo could get someone close to him with such ease. But only few he'd kept as friends. One would be really lucky to be able to become more than that to him. And as far as he knew…

He wasn't that one.

…………………**..**

**1: skeetie: it's a crude term for eunuch. Duo thinks that Heero doesn't let off enough steam. (masturbate) enough and becomes strong because of the huge semen build up. I don't know either but it just seemed right at the moment.**

_**NOTE: **_**And for those who don't know, Red Bull is an energy drink. Sort of like good tasting coffee; but in a can. With a **_**fizz**_**.**

**A/N: WAAA, WAAA. Too bad for you. I didn't feel like typing anymore. My throat was tight and I couldn't breathe properly. Then I was hungry but I couldn't eat. My throat hurt too much. And then it was nearly 1:30 in the morning. My throat is killing me….WAAAA.**

**(ANYWAY) I hoped you enjoyed this chappie. I know I was cutting corners. But I'd been so far behind, and in so much pain (throat) that I couldn't put in everything. But I expect that your imagination can fill in the blank spaces. **

**NEXT CHAPPIE:**

**You know, I don't even know what's gonna happen in the next chappie. I'll probably be taking a break from this for a little bit. Hence the slightly longer chapter. What do you think should happen? Any ideas? I got blockies on this fic. Then there's **_**CTL **_**and **_**TTTW**_** I have to work on. But that ain't gonna be this morning. Sorry but they gotta wait. I'm in too much pain and food withdrawal symptoms are starting to catch up to me. **

'**Till next time!!**

**-A very pained Kenny. (Need food and relief!!!)**

**(ANYWAY) Ciao for now!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello again! And Happy belated holidays! I'm sorry for leaving you all in the dark with this. I'll get to the actual 'what's wrong with Duo' part in due time. For now, I'd like to torture both you AND Duo if you don't mind. But in this chappie, however. Heero gets tortured. Heh… Oh I feel sweet.**

**WARNING: This chapter will be rather short since I only want to focus on one thing and then I only got the plan in front of me and then I'd hate to just give you sentence snippets (that's cruel) which really won't do 'cause then I'd have to think of MORE stuff to put in this, which ain't gonna happen 'cause my stomach's taking revenge on me for my lack of feeding it.**

**Whoa. Pretty long sentence there.**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Heero pulled up to the apartment, his ass totally numb from the long drive. He cast a sidelong glance at Duo and have glared. If he hadn't been so concerned for the idiot, he would've hauled the other into the driver seat and he get _his_ well deserved sleep. But no. His conscience won't have that. Heero paused as he was fixing to get out of the car.

Since when did he have a _conscience?!_

Shaking his head to clear it, he decided to leave Duo in the car while he got everything in the apartment. For every time he went back, Duo remained in the same position. His head was turned in such a way that to a medically stupid person would think it was broken. He'd have serious kinks in his neck when he wakes up.

_If he wakes up_. Heero's subconscious chimed in. He mentally shoved a foot up its ass and continued on his task. It looked as if it was going to rain soon so he needed to get going.

And just his luck, too. As soon as he was going out to haul Duo over his shoulder to get into the apartment, large torrents of rain decided to 'drop' by. So now here he was, soaked with a sleeping and extra wet Duo.

_Damn the sleeping part,_ his libido cursed. This made him pause for a second. Now his _libido_ had a _voice?!_

Heero trudged up the stairs and used one hand to balance Duo on his shoulder while he opened the apartment door. Once inside, he closed the door with the heel of his foot. He carefully placed Duo on the bed, changing quickly into some dry clothes before the other left a huge wet mark on the sheets. When Heero was getting ready to do what he had to do when his nerves hit him.

He'd have to strip Duo and put on dry clothes.

The Japanese paled considerably. Slowly he turned around and saw Duo lying on his back, spread eagle and his braid snaking around his head on the pillow. The Japanese swallowed hard. Okay, yea. He'd wanted to do this all his life (sort of) and the opportunity just threw itself at him. And now he was too chicken shit to do it.

Pathetic.

But he had to do it, his soldier side reasoned with him. If he didn't Duo could get sick and become detrimental to the mission. It was either do or die.

"_Damned if you do. Damned if you don't"_ Duo's voice rang through his head. Man oh, man.

Oh boy….

Heero braced himself and went over to Duo's duffel. Taking out his clothes, he turned to the prone body lying on the bed. Waking him was out of the question. He was too far gone and he hadn't had a decent night's sleep for a long time… Damn! Why did life and conscience have to be so frikkin' cruel?!

Heaving a long suffering sigh, he reverted into Soldier Mode and bean to peel off the other's clothing. Oh how he wished he could do this with his eyes closed. And without his hands.

Heero started with the other's coat and shirt. What lay underneath nearly drove the Soldier over the edge. Wet, creamy skin lay inches below his fingertips. Shit, How was he going to explain this to Duo? Did he have to? He sure hoped not.

_Hurry up before he catches a cold!_ His mind scolded him harshly. Heero complied and proceeded to put a dry shirt on the young man, being sure not to let it come into contact with the wet uniform pants.

His pants.

Oh God…

Heero took a in a shaky breath and took another minute to get his shaking hands to move. He could hear his heart in his ears and his mouth went dry. Shaky fingers fumbled with the belt buckle, Heero mentally incapacitated as his hands suddenly assumed a mind of their own.

Heero was somewhat disappointed to find out that Duo wore boxers.

_PERVRT! _His mind screamed. _Of COURSE he'd wear them!_

His hands made quick work of getting the pants off and returned his attention to the slumbering body. He heart crashed against his ribs. His world narrowed down to just him and Duo. Holy snot! There he lay, sprawled on his back, half dry and clad only in his boxers. Silk ones at that.

_Fuck…_

Heero kept telling himself it was for the mission. Although, his body was thinking of another. He was so going to have seriously wet dreams after this.

…………………………

Duo came out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist, another being used to towel dry his hair. He met Heero sitting on the bed getting ready.

"Morning," he said with a lopsided grin. Heero looked up and when he saw Duo, he flushed heavily, nearly choking on his response.

Sweet Jesus…

…………………………

**A/N: *Ducks flying projectiles.* I'm sorry for leaving it like that but I was in a rush. But I'm sure your imaginations can do the job.**

**School reopens this week and so this is the last chapter for now.**

**NEXT CHAPTER**

**MISSIONS AND UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS**

**No summary for this one but I'll have it up before the next chapter. Once again I'm so sorry for the delay. (See Treading Through Troubled Waters for full explanation at the end note).**

'**Till next time: Kenny**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm just updating all my fics as I go along. I usually have more inspiration when I'm holed up in my room and undercover. Makes stuff juicier. But I'm at my pop's and in the open range where I can type freely. You know, captivity works better in some places. Namely my room. My nice WARM room.

**(Anyway) Here's chapter six. I didn't continue since the previous chapter was a little plot teetering and then… I had the plot but didn't know how I'd stretch this out. So here goes nothing. **

**And to those waiting on chapter six of Crossing the line, it is going to be a while yet before I get that up and running again. And as for Shini's Cross that's coming up either today while I've got the urge to write something or tomorrow.**

**Without further ado…**

**ON TO THE FIC!**

**He **

CHAPTER SIX

Duo sat silently in the passenger seat, silently stealing glances at his partner. Heero had been acting strange sine the day he'd 'fallen asleep' in the car on the way to their 'hideout'. Heero had a white knuckled grip on the steering wheel and kept dangerously focused on the road ahead, not even letting his eyes flick over briefly at the passing buildings as he usually does. Duo had tried striking up a conversation with the other Preventer and failed miserably. The guy didn't even answer with any of his customary grunts.

He blatantly _ignored_ Duo since this morning. And Duo was not happy with that. Something had to be wrong with the former Wing pilot to make him act this way. All flustered and skittish. That wasn't Heero. Whenever he touched the other man, he'd shy away from the contact. If he cracked an 'innocent' sex joke, he looked as if he'd combust. It wasn't as if these made Heero embarrassed before. Why the sudden change now? Hell, the guy was afraid to even _touch_ him (pat on the shoulder and nudge-wise). He was too tense for his own good. Heero was going to get a massage after this, Duo decided firmly. Both of them. Well, Heero needed it more. The one for him was just an added bonus.

But enough pondering. It would get in the way of the mission. The mission… Duo hoped he wouldn't have an episode during his part of the mission. That would royally suck.

The mission… What was it about again? Oh yeah. Infiltration and intelligence. He was supposed to get inside this heavily guarded former Oz base that was recently re-activated and used for what seemed to be drug and poison trafficking. Just _how_ heavily guarded he didn't know. But he wasn't about to let Heero or the rest of the team down.

Just then he felt the force of the wind make the car sway, making him nauseous instantly. It was a heavy wave; he fought it down with all his self control. His eyelids had drooped slightly in his doubled effort not to throw up all over the dashboard. Heero couldn't know about this. No one could. He had to make it through this mission. It was all he could do to avoid the humiliation of Heero thinking him weak and helpless.

……………………..

Heero snuck a peek through his marginally longer yet still bushy bangs at the now suspiciously silent American beside him. He still hadn't gotten over his dilemma with Duo two nights ago. It still stirred heat in his loins whenever he thought of it, and had to squash it down forcefully with thoughts of Relena stripping for him. It's a torturous but handy way of diminishing a hard-on. Hallelujah for desperate and weird girls that turn guys off. If there weren't any he'd have to imagine Howard doing the same.

Heero's little pet went completely limp.

The half Japanese blinked and looked down to see the scared organ huddle deeper into his pants, almost as if it were trying to go back home. Wow. Do ALL old guys do that to people?

Prussian blue shifted to look discreetly at the uneasy movement to his right. Duo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking a little on the green side. He looked as if he were going to get sick right where he sat. Heero was about to summon his fast retreating courage to ask Duo if he was alright when the other took an inaudible deep breath and color returned to his face. He seemed to be fine although he still had a little of the sickly greenish tint to his visage. If Duo was sick then he shouldn't be here. He doubted the braided man would listen to reason, so he left the other alone until something drastic happened.

Heero felt his hands getting numb and looked to see that nearly all the blood had receded from his hands because of the grip he had on the steering wheel. He released the wheel completely to flex his fingers, using his knees to steer while he got the circulation going again. It wouldn't be long before they got to their destination to wait until dusk to get in. During the few hours they would have left, Heero would set up in clear view of Duo's escape route to snipe down anyone who proved to be hostile while Duo would be occupied by someone else.

He snuck another glance at the silent passenger. He felt bad about ignoring the other. He usually listened to the braided enigma no matter how much he found it annoying. It was actually a comfort at some times. He'd blatantly snuffed all of the other's attempts at engaging him in conversation to relieve both their tensions. Now he'd just have to live in fear of over-stepping his boundaries and really do something stupid and cost him his friendship with Duo.

…………………………..

Duo crept along the dimly lit corridors, careful to remain in the cameras' blind spots. His limbs felt weightless as he glided on, heading toward the room he was to get into. Along the way he either eluded or KO'd guards that stood in his way of getting in and out without a hitch. He'd just picked the lock and got inside when the alarm went off. He looked around frantically, locating the map and reports and hurried to get out. When he opened the door and ran out into the hall however, he found himself surrounded by at least twelve guards.

_Shit…_

He bull rushed his way through several of them, not even bothering to fight, and made his way hastily to the exit he'd planned to take; Heero should be able to gun down the rest of them. Only partway to his destination, though, and not entirely to his expectations, a dizzy spell enveloped him and caused his step to falter a bit.

_Not now!_

Duo quickened his pace and rounded a corner with so much speed, he nearly ran into the opposite wall. Dizziness decided to take advantage of his minor mishap and took over his mind. He stumbled on the stairs and held on to the railing to stop himself from falling. He shook his head and immediately regretted it. It send unpleasant messages to his stomach and brought a heavy wave of nausea over him. He forced it down, and continued down the steps, skipping as many steps as possible. When he rounded yet another corner, something caught him in the back of his head. It didn't catch him good enough to knock him out, but it was enough to give him a serious headache to compliment his nausea. Summoning what strength he had from the now crippling headache, he took down the soldier that had attacked. Two more emerged from the shadows, trying to corner him.

He so did not have time for this. He want—_needed_ out of here before he totally loses it.

With that firmly planted in his mind he snatched the rifle from one of the soldiers and knocked him over the head with it, rendering him unconscious. The second managed to sock him good with a blow to the temple, causing spots to dance across his vision. He retaliated, ignoring the darkness creeping across his mind, and shot the guard, the gunshot alerting almost everyone else on the upcoming floors. He was going to have hell. Not feeling up to it, he gathered all the adrenaline he could find and pumped them to and through his arms, legs and lungs. He wasn't going to last much longer. This much he knew. But he also knew that Heero would kill him if he let him down; whether the headaches did it or not.

The braided Preventer continued down the seemingly deserted corridor when he heard Heero's voice over the comm.

"Status, Agent Night."

Duo did all he could to get air into his burning lungs so that he could reply. Apparently he was taking too long since Heero's voice came in a second time in an urgent tone. Finally he acquired the amount of necessary oxygen and replied.

"Discovered. Heading for designated exit. ETA…" Duo stopped when he thought he'd lost the guards for the moment to catch his breath.

"DUO!" Shit. He must be worried if he'd used his 'real' name.

"ETA," Duo repeated, panting. "Five minutes."

…………………**..**

Heero heard the alarms trip and guns going off in the building. He used his night vision goggles to zoom in and scan the external perimeter, all the while only one thought ran through his mind.

'What had Duo gotten himself into now?'

The shots had died down and he feared the worst. Not seeing Duo emerge from the building, he decided to bite the bullet and check on his closest friend. The link crackled to life and he could hear the sounds of guns hitting flesh and then silence; except heavy breathing. The half Japanese paled.

"Status, Agent Night."

There was nothing but raspy breathing meeting his ears for a few minutes and he got seriously worried.

"Discovered," Duo responded finally, sounding tired. "Heading for designated exit. ETA…"

Silence greeted him once more for a while. He waited a few seconds more and then decided that the other was not alright.

"DUO!"

Duo didn't respond for a few more seconds and he was contemplating going in after him when the other finally replied. His voice sounded strained; as if he'd been pushing himself too far.

"ETA," he repeated, apparently out of breath, " five minutes."

Heero watched and waited for Duo to emerge.

And emerge he did, a little after the five minutes he'd estimated. He'd managed to get followed and tried to fight back. Heero could see the significant lag in the other's movements and noticed that the blows were much weaker than they should've been. Heero saw this as the appropriate time to start busting some kneecaps. He took aim and fired. Each bullet landed in the knee of each of the fourteen men that had followed Duo out. When all were down, the braided agent stood unmoving for a bit and then seemed to sway on his feet.

Heero frowned. The other dropped to his knees and immediately started to vomit violently, after which he coughed and rasped. The Japanese made contact through the comm.

"Duo, are you alright?"

He got no answer as the other slumped to the ground unmoving.

…………………………………

**Almeida: Here's the chapter. I'm no good without my human to come up with something actually **_**directly**_** plot related and I just threw this together for her. I tried my best to stretch it out as much as I could but then the empty stomach we shared and she was bitching about wouldn't have that. So this is it until the next chapter. I don't know if either of us is going to come up with something until at least two to three weeks from now. We have to get Shini's Cross on par with the rest of these. This has now got six chapters. Treading has nine, and Crossing The Line has six also. All that's left is Shinigami's Cross and then I can get to work on Love And Track and finish the Arc I was planning on with **_**I Get A Kick Out of You**_**.**

'**Till next time!**

**-Almeida.**


End file.
